Around 3,200 Toys R Us jobs in the UK remain at risk after a pension regulator announced its intention to vote against the retailer's restructuring plan.

The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) said it will not back the toy chain's proposals unless the retailer agrees to pay £9 million into its pension fund.

As a result the PPF said it will vote against restructuring plans put forward by Toys R Us on Thursday (December 21) - a move that could plunge the embattled chain into administration.

The chain has stores in Hayes, Uxbridge and the Whiteleys shopping centre in W2.

The PPF is demanding that Toys R Us makes the payment to secure three years' worth of funding upfront for its defined salary staff pension scheme, which has a shortfall of between £25 million and £30 million.

Read More

He added: "Given the position of the company, we strongly believe seeking assurances for the pension scheme is reasonable given the deficit in the scheme and questions about the overall position of the company.

"We remain in dialogue with the company and their advisers and we are able to amend our vote if suitable assurances provided."

Toys R Us said on announcing its CVA plans that trading has suffered as its warehouse-style stores opened in the 1980s and 1990s have proved "too big and expensive to run", while it is also understood to have struggled to keep up with online competitors.

The announcement comes just months after the US-based retailer filed for bankruptcy protection in the US and Canada as it battled mammoth debts and increasing competition online.

Keep up to date with the latest news in west London via the free getwestlondon app.

You can set up your app to see all the latest news and events from your area, plus receive push notifications for breaking news.